The Colorado Springs Police Department acquired nonarmored Humvees so it would not have to repeat what happened after a blizzard shut down the city in October 1997. The Green Mountain Falls Police Department obtained rifles to better deal with bears that could put officers in danger.

… Lt. Catherine Buckley, spokeswoman for the Colorado Springs Police Department, said the 1997 blizzard left a mark on the department. CSPD had to borrow Humvees from the military to move personnel and respond to calls for service.

“That was the only way we could get around town,” she said. “We had officers that stayed at people’s homes for 12 hours at a time because they could not get their vehicles.”

Read more about what other agencies in Colorado are doing with the 1033 program on Gazette.com.